Graydon Carter on His Memoir, 'When the Going Was Good,' and the Golden Age of Magazines

Early Life and Character Building

• 🇨🇦 Growing up in Canada, Carter experienced a formative period involving tough outdoor activities like hockey and skiing in extreme cold, which he believes toughened him up.
• 🚂 A significant experience involved working on the Canadian Railroad in his late teens, living with convicts and learning profanity and resilience.

The Allure of New York and Writing

• 🗽 New York City held a strong gravitational pull for Carter, inspired by magazines and movies, where he aspired to be a writer.
• 🏙️ Arriving in 1978, he found New York to be a filthy, crime-ridden city but paradoxically felt happier there due to its character.
• 📰 Carter was drawn to magazines over newspapers because they offered a deeper insight into how people lived, with longer narratives and a sense of storytelling.

The Magazine Business and Its Decline

• ✍️ Carter emphasizes that readers buy magazines based on the writing and photography, not the editor, highlighting his success in building a stable of top talent at Vanity Fair.
• 📉 He expresses dismay at the decline of magazines but believes well-produced magazines can still find a market, comparing it to the rediscovery of vinyl.
• 📉 The rise of the internet and the disappearance of newsstands significantly impacted magazine visibility and sales, contributing to the industry's decline.

Relationship with Donald Trump

• 📰 Carter recounts his early profile of Donald Trump for GQ in 1984, noting his small hands as a key observation.
• 🎭 This observation led to a complex, often contentious relationship, with Trump later attempting to mend ties through gifts and compliments.
• 😮 Carter expresses astonishment at Trump's presidency, noting a shift from a charming salesman to a figure with **